Mock Trial Competes in Round of 32 at District Courthouse

The team poses outside the district courthouse before their February 6 competition against FDR High School. Photo: Alina Blyumin

By LUKA TAYLOR and  JOSEPH TRONTZ

Joseph Trontz is a member of the Mock Trial Team.

The Mock Trial Team surpassed last year’s performance, making it into the top 32 teams in NYC before losing 59-55 to Yeshivah Flatbush at the district courthouse in Downtown Brooklyn on Tuesday, March 7.

In mock trial, schools throughout the state get the same fabricated case. This year, it involved 59-year-old Lindsay Gordon and her failing business Gordon Paint & Supplies, which burned to the ground in a possible case of insurance fraud. A 30-minute hole in Gordon’s alibi put her under suspicion for arson. 

“I love having to learn about a new topic each year and going into the specifics of something I would never know about otherwise,” said Mr. Eugene Resnick, who has been the team’s head advisor for seven years.

In a team setup consisting of a defense and prosecution crew, each side has three lawyers and three witnesses, totaling twelve students. Lawyers conduct a 10-minute direct examination of their own team's witnesses, followed by a 10-minute cross-examination of the opposing team, aiming to discredit them. Additionally, certain lawyers handle either a 5-minute opening or 10-minute closing statement to present and conclude the case from their side's viewpoint.

During the competition, lawyers are expected to make objections, just like in real court, to challenge a witness's testimony or a lawyer’s questioning.

The mock trial regular season consists of two competitions, one for each crew. Based on those matches’ point differentials, a team may advance to the round of 32, then 16, and so on. 

Going into the competition, one thing was very clear: it was win or go home.

“Our team was going to put up a worthy performance, but it’s no secret that as the team progresses, the quality of other teams progresses too,” said Mr. Christopher Eisenhardt, one of the team’s advisors.

However, Midwood’s no stranger to triumph, with the defense crew narrowly winning against FDR High School’s prosecution on February 6, and their prosecution crew steamrolling Susan Wagner’s defense on February 29.

Since prosecution opens first, Yeshivah Flatbush kicked off the competition on March 7, describing Lindsay Gordon’s dire financial situation and her convenient lack of an alibi during the time the fire took place.

Next, Elion Ruci ‘25, the opening lawyer for Midwood’s defense team, described the lack of credibility among defense witnesses, and the failure of the prosecution to meet their burden of proof beyond a reasonable doubt. Despite this being Ruci’s first year on the team, he won a crucial position, and never left any doubts.

“It was scary; we went straight into practice and preparation when I joined the team, but it was fun and worth the hard work,” said Ruci.

Two other new members – Joseph Trontz ‘25 (one of this article's authors) and Mary Joseph ‘25 – were witnesses for the prosecution.

“Our new members really stepped up,” said Co-captain Avielle Krendel-Smyslov ‘25, who is also on the Argus staff. “Without them, I doubt we would’ve made it this far.”

“Mock trial is all about thinking on your feet,” Mr. Resnick said. “Seeing the kids grow and become more comfortable speaking in front of people and presenting arguments is my favorite thing about it.”

The back-and-forths between both sets of witnesses and their respective lawyers were often intense, and there were moments where it almost hurt to watch.

“As a witness, something I was definitely nervous about was the fact that I really had no idea what they were going to ask me on my cross examination, and from a school of their caliber I had to expect the worst,” said Angelia Krendel-Smyslov ‘26, the co-captain’s sister, who had the role of Ryan Casey, a defense witness and the defendant's financial advisor. 

After the closing arguments, the teams and the audience waited anxiously for the judge to count the score, which was based on a variety of criteria. Just like in real court, the judge’s decision is final. 

“I think all of our witnesses and lawyers performed as I expected them to,” said Co-captain Amelia Thornhill ‘24. “The only variable was the judge.”

This far into the season, tiny things like fumbling your words can make or break a case.

“I think we were very well prepared, and we made some small mistakes,” said Mr. Resnick. “They were prepared, and they won, but that’s what happens in competition.”

Despite the loss, the team felt pretty good compared to last year, when they narrowly missed out on the postseason.

“We made it way farther than I thought we would,” said Avielle Krendel-Smyslov. “Our team wasn’t as strong as theirs, and that’s okay; they genuinely deserved that win.”

With all the new talent, the team is feeling positive about next year. If you're interested in joining, check out the team’s Instagram at @midwoodmocktrial and listen for tryout announcements in September.